Lost Without You
by spooksfan08
Summary: Richard and Janine are together and apart from Hogg being her usual charming self they are happy. How will Richard cope when he has to face the rest of the team without her? Without Janine how will he lead a murder investigation and care for the kids?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer not mine, I own nothing related to Blue Murder. All copyright belongs to ITV. No copyright infringement in intended nor should be inferred.**

**Chapter One. Another Day**

Janine walked into the abandoned office of the CID. The desks and chairs still waiting for teh detectives that would no doubt appear as the morning went on. She felt sick but knew she had to go through the mountain of paperwork before Hogg arrived. She knew her senior officer was punishing her by making her work the Bank Holiday but then her team would be there before Hogg, so at least she had some decent company.

"Morning."

"Hello Shapps." She looked up to see the detective in the doorway.

""Tea? Kettle's on."

"Thanks." She nodded and smiled before opening the file of a murder case that had been dealt with the day before. The killer now awaiting court. She shook her head as she looked at the photograph of the impossibly young victim and shuddered.

"You ok, Guv?" Shapps watched as she nodded. "You don't look right."

"I'm fine. Didn't you say something about tea?"

"Yeah." Shapps nodded once more before leaving the office. He knew there was no way the Guv would admit she was ill but he knew something was wrong.

"Kettle on?" Richard threw his jacket over the back of his chair before heading across to the white board. "Hogg been in?"

"Not yet." Kat sipped her tea before handing a mug to Richard. "Guv been in the office since before we got in."

"Right." He nodded, knowing Kat was right. He had still been asleep when she had left. He had just been glad Michael had been home to keep an eye on the younger children until Lucy arrived at 9. He sipped his tea before heading into Janine's office.

############################

"Right." Shapps stared at the white board where the picture of a young girl was taped up with black felt tip lines drawn away from it. "Suppose we should start taking this down."

"Yeah." Butchers nodded. "Just glad we caught the scumbag."

"I know." Shapps agreed. "Nasty piece of work. Poor girl didn't stand a chance. Still, he'll be locked away for a good few years yet."

"Yeah." Butchers glanced towards the inner office, wondering what was going on. He didn't like the sound of Janine being locked in there since before they had arrived. It didn't seem fair that Hogg continually picked on her. "You reckon the Guv is ok?"

"Yeah." Shapps lied. "Tired I bet but Richard's just gone in there."

Both men turned back to their work, oblivious to what was going on in the office. Kat narrowed her eyes as the door to Janine's office burst open. "What's wrong?"

"Shapps, get an ambulance now." Richard almost yelled before heading back into the office. Shapps pulled out his mobile before following him back into the smaller room. Janine lay across her desk, pale and semi conscious.

"Is she breathing?"

"Bloody Hell." Butchers grabbed the phone from Shapps and began talking to the paramedics. Richard pulled Janine over to the floor, laying her down on the thin carpet.

"She's breathing."

"She looked awful when I came in." Shapps narrowed his eyes as Butchers continued to talk to the ambulance service. Janine's clothes were sodden with her sweat, her skin a pale almost jaundice colour.

"Janine!" Richard shook her gently, terrified when she didn't respond. "Janine, come on." He closed his eyes and fought the terror building in his stomach as she lay motionless in front of him.

########################

A/N More soon ? Can't believe how long it has been since I last wrote a Blue Murder story. Is it worth going on with? Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer not mine. Please review.**

**The Heart of the Matter.**

Richard closed his eyes and rested his head back against the cool white wall of the A&E waiting room. He couldn't get the image of Janine unconscious on the floor of her office. The way her skin seemed almost translucent would haunt him until the day he died.

"Richard." He turned as he heard his name called.

"Hi."

"What happened?" Michael stood in front of him. "Kat called me, told me to come here. That Mum had been hurt."

"Where's Tom and the girls?"

"School and nursery. Lucy will meet them from school. What happened?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. I just walked into her office to tell her something and she was laying across her desk, barely breathing."

"Oh God." Michael sat down. For a moment Richard forgot how worried he was about Janine. Michael was just a teenager, still a kid being told that his mother was very ill. He sighed as he sat down next to him.

"She's tough."

"Yeah." Michael nodded.

"It's where you get it from." Richard smiled slightly as the younger man raised his eye brows." You are your mother's son. It's why you argue so much. You are both so alike."

Michael smirked as he looked away, hoping Richard was right.

#######################

"Any news?" Butchers asked as Shapps and Kat turned to face him.

"No but Hogg is on the warpath."

"When isn't she?" Butchers slumped down in his chair. "You know something?"

"What?" Kat sighed.

"DSI Hogg has had it in for us since she started here. I bet she's loving this. If Janine is out of the picture she can run this place into the ground. It'd save some cash out of her precious budget anyway."

"Butchers." Kat bit her bottom lip as he kept talking. "Butchers."

"No, I mean it. We never get any senior support here. It's like we don't matter. How good is our clear up rate? And still she thinks Murder Squad is a waste of time."

"Ian." Shapps used his first name, shocking him into silence. "Listen."

"No, let the man speak." Butchers froze as he realised Hogg was stood behind him and had probably heard all that had been said. "I'm sorry DCI Lewis is unwell but that doesn't mean we stop work. Where is DI Mayne?"

"He went to talk to Janine's children." Shapps stated calmly. "The oldest is only 18."

"Unfortunate." Hogg snapped. "Is there any news from the hospital."

"No Ma'am." Kat answered. "Not yet."

"Keep me informed." She glared at the three detectives. "And I suggest you get on with some work before I really believe you are a waste of space, as you most elegantly put it."

Kat closed her eyes and swore quietly while both men looked away.

"Well? How was I supposed to know she was there?" Butchers asked as Shapps shot him a filthy look.

"Come on, lets get some work done. We want those two to come back to a unit that hasn't been disbanded , yet."

#########################

Richard looked up as the doctor walked towards them. Michael was on his feet immediately.

"Richard Mayne?"

"Yes." Richard nodded. "This is Michael Lewis, Janine's son."

"I'm Dr Wilson. I've been looking after Janine since she arrived. We're just preparing her to move to the High Dependency Unit. She's breathing on her own but still very unwell."

"What is it? What's wrong with Mum?" Michael asked. Richard narrowed his eyes, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.

"Would you like to sit down?" Dr Wilson gestured towards the uncomfortable looking chairs in the Relatives Room.

"No." Michael stated calmly. "I'd like to know why my mother is in hospital." Richard looked away for a moment, knowing that Michael was reacting the same way Janine would have. He was so much like his mother it was unnerving at times.

"Well." The doctor looked at both men. "She is having a scan at the moment. A CT scan, which may give us with more answers."

"But, you have a fair idea?" Richard stared at him. The doctor nodded.

"A Pulmonary Embolism. A PE. A bit like a DVT but in the lungs."

"How did she get that?" Michael looked up. "A DVT is bad enough, yeah but a PE? That sounds really serious."

"It can be." The doctor stated. "It seems Janine has been unwell for a while. They are treatable but Janine didn't get to us until she was already very ill."

"So what are you saying?" Richard felt his blood run cold. Michael buried his head in his hands.

"I am saying she will be in hospital for a while. We'll give her painkillers, fluids and antibiotics. We'll also give her medication to disperse the blood clot. An injection." The doctor states. "But the rest is up to her."

"She might die?" Michael suddenly sounded years younger than he was. Richard rested a hand on his shoulder.

"She might." The doctor stated calmly. "She might, but we are giving her all the treatment we have. She is being well looked after. Does she have any other family?"

"My kid brother and sisters." Michael answered. "Auntie Helen."

"I'll speak to Helen." Richard watched as Michael pulled a face. It was well known the older woman didn't approve of Richard and Janine being together. "And I'll talk to Ellie and the others. Ok?"

"But I."

"Michael, listen to your dad." The doctor stated calmly. "I'll ask a nurse to collect you when Janine is back from her scan." Richard frowned slightly, amazed that he was referred to as Michael's father and even more amazed when the teenager didn't correct him.

"Ok." Richard sighed. "I'll call Shapps too. Let him know what's happened."

#############################

"This is unbelievable." Kat hissed as she looked at the most recent case file to land on their desks. "How can anyone do this?"

"I'm no psychologist but it takes a pretty twisted mind." Shapps shook his head. "No wonder regular CID passed this one up."

"Yeah." Butchers took his glasses off and put them back on. "Sick, sick people in the world."

The staccato beat of heels on tiled floor caught Kat's attention. "Ma'am."

"If you think the investigation of a young man's murder is beneath you."

"Of course not." Shapps snapped. "We do our job and you know we do."

"Um, with DCI Lewis here."

"And we'll do it while she is off sick. Because it's what we do. Now, Ma'am I have witnesses to interview." He grabbed his leather jacket before calling for Butchers and heading out of the office. Kat glared at the older woman before picking up her phone to call forensics. Hogg glared at the retreating figure of Shapps before storming out of the room.

###########################

A/N More soon. Please review


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Changing Places**

Shapps walked along the deserted residential street deep in thought. He knew Richard would be at the hospital for as long as it took to find out what had happened to their boss. He had always known there was something between the two officers but now it was blatently obvious to anyone who cared to look.

"Shapps?" He looked as Butchers turned to him.

"What?"

"You shouldn't have mouthed off at Hogg like that."

"She had it coming." Shapps shrugged his shoulders. What their senior officer thought of his was the last thing on his mind.

"Yeah well. She already hates us."

"So?"

"With the Guv in hospital there is a very real chance she'll use Janine not being around to close us down. You know she's been looking for an excuse."

"Yeah." Shapps sighed heavily. "And it would sort out that budget problem she's always winging about."

"Exactly, so lets find the scumbag that killed this lad and not give her any excuse to get rid of us." Shapps watched as Butcher's walked towards the witnesses house wondering exactly when his friend had become so perceptive.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"A PE." Michael frowned. "I've heard of them. They aren't good."

"No." Richard ran a hand through his messy brown hair. "No, they aren't good. Look, I better call Lucy, ask her to stay with Tom and the girls."

"She'll stay." Michael nodded.

"Yeah, Ellie and Tom will want to come to the hospital. I've no idea what we tell them. They're just kids."

"Ellie is sixteen and Tom will be 11 in a couple of months. They aren't babies."

"Charlotte is only three." Richard sighed. "Someone should tell your dad."

"Pete? He stopped being our dad a long time ago. He stopped caring when he upped sticks and went to Spain with the Bimbo."

"You shouldn't call your step-mother that."

"Well, that's what she is." Michael shrugged. "Nah, he isn't waltzing back into our lives now. Charlotte doesn't remember him and Tom barely mentions him anymore. You've been more of a dad to us all these last couple of years." Richard looked at the floor, barely able to control his emotions. He had never expected the kids to take to him being with their mother. He knew he was lucky to be accepted as part of the family.

"Michael."

"I'll go and call Lucy, see if she can bring them here." Michael got to his feet clutching his Iphone in one hand her left the room.

#########################

"Mummy!" Charlotte yelled as Lucy walked through the living room listening to Michael on the other end of the phone.

"She's in hospital." Tom sighed as he threw his school jumper over the back of the sofa. "She's not well."

"I want her." Charlotte looked towards Lucy who was listening intently to Michael.

"I know." Ellie sighed. "I want her to come home too."

"And me." Tom rubbed his eyes. "But she has to be well. Richard?"

"Is with her and Michael." Ellie sighed. "We'll see her soon. Oh come on you two. No tears. Mum would tell you not to cry."

"I want my Mummy." Charlotte sighed heavily, knowing that she would have to wait for her.

"I know, I know." Ellie glanced at Lucy who bit her bottom lip as she listened to Michael on the other end of the phone.

##############################

"Thank you." Kat stated before ending the call.

"Hiya." Butchers smiled as he walked in to the Squad Room. "Atilla the Skirt around?"

"No." Kat smirked. "That was forensics, we have some fibers matching and we have an accurate cause of death."

"Which is?" Shapps shrugged his jacket off.

"Bullet wound causing him to bleed to death."

"Got to be honest, these scientists have a way of proving the bloody obvious." Shapps stated as Hogg walked in.

"Ma'am." Kat stared at the blonde woman.

"Any news?"

"On DCI Lewis or the case?" Shapps asked.

"On both." She huffed. "Of course."

"Of course." He smirked and sat down at his desk.

"In view of the case, we are still persuing leads." Butchers answered diplomatically. "The Guv."

"No news as yet." Kat looked away as she spoke. "DI Mayne said he would call when they knew what was going on."

"Keep me informed." Hogg snapped before walking out of the office. Shapps shook his head as Butchers raised an eyebrow.

"Say nothing." Kat stated. "We'll solve this case. She ain't shutting us down."

##############################

A/N More soon, sorry for delay in updating. How is Richard going to run Murder Squad and look after four kids with out Janine? Will Janine wake up? Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Fight**

"You really think that's what she wants to do?" Butchers asked as Kat closed her eyes for a moment.

"I really wouldn't put it past her. She has wanted rid of Murder Squad ever since she came to this force. She sees scrapping us as a way of balancing her books. With Richard off at the hospital and the Guv as poorly as she is there is only us who can stop her."

"How?" Butchers looked genuinely depressed.

"We have the best clear up rate of any of the specialist squads in this area." Kat stated calmly.

"Yeah." Shapps agreed. "Lets make sure it stays that way."

"How do we do that?" Butchers frowned.

"We find the scum that killed that young lad. And we do it quick." Kat stated. "I'm off to the ME's office. Chloë called, she thinks we might have something."

########################################

"Richard!" Charlotte slipped her hand out of Lucy's grasp and ran towards him. Richard smiled as he picked her up. The little girl squealed in delight as he lifted her up in the air.

"Hello Titch." He swung her so that she landed on his hip. "Have you behaved for Lucy?"

"Yeah." Charlotte nodded. "And Tom and Ellie did."

"Good." Richard caught the teenagers eye as Tom skulked back behind his sister, clearly worried. There was no way Janine's middle children would be as reassured as quickly as Charlotte had been. "Ok, Lottie let's sit down. I think I need to have a chat with Ellie and Tom."

"Ok." Charlotte nodded. Lucy held out her hand so that Charlotte took her hand.

"We'll go and see if we can find the pop machine." Lucy watched as Richard nodded gratefully. He had no idea what he was going to tell Tom and Ellie but he knew he had to find the words from somewhere. He sighed as Lucy and Charlotte walked away.

"Ok." Michael appeared behind her. "You need to be really grown up now. For Mum and Charlotte. She's still only a baby."

"Michael." Ellie stared at her brother. "You're really scaring me."

"Yeah? Well, I'm terrified." Michael stated before returning to the family room as Richard closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer that a God he wasn't sure he even believed in would give him the strength to do what he had to do.

##########################

"He was shot." Shapps stated as the curly haired pathologist raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he was. Point blank range to the back of his head. We established that."

"So?" He walked alongside her as they headed down the antiseptic smelling corridor to the office she shared with two other forensic pathologists and a forensic medical examiner.

"So, he was already dead when he was shot."

"What?" Shapps looked at her in disbelief. "Someone murdered a dead bloke? Why?"

"I do the facts you do the rest. I don't know why. I don't know what was going through the gun man's mind before he pulled the trigger but your victim was dead before that bullet went anywhere near his cranium."

"Thanks Clo." He turned on his heel and walked away.

"Shapps?" She called as he stopped walking. "Tony!"

"If 'e was already dead?" Shapps looked at her as she raised both eyebrows. "How did he die?"

"Follow me." Chloë ushered him into the small office. "This is blow your mind. And probably all your lines of enquiry out of the water."

"Oh great." He moaned. "This is just what I don't need."

"I thought you'd be pleased." She smiled as he shook his head.

"You agreeing to come to dinner with me, that would cheer me up." He flashed his best charm smile.

"Keep trying, Tony. Keep trying." She smiled at him as he nodded.

"Yeah. I will." He winked at her before following the scientist into her office.

######################

"I want to see Mum." Ellie stared at Richard. The small waiting room almost claustrophobic.

"And you will." Richard stared at the floor, trying to order his thoughts.

"But?" Tom narrowed his eyes. Richard lifted his gaze to the young boy, once again amazed at how much he looked like Janine. Her mannerisms had clearly been picked up by the children.

"Mum might die." Michael stated. "That's the worst that can happen."

"No she wont." Tom glared at him. "Take that back! My Mum is going to get better! She is! She is! I know she is because she has come to hospital. Doctors and nurses make you better! Mum is getting better."

"Hey." Richard raised a hand, suddenly aware that Ellie had started crying. "Your Mum is very poorly. I mean she is very very poorly."

"But she's going to be ok?" Ellie sniffed. "This isn't like before? Someone hurt her before. She's just caught something this time."

"She has something called a P.E."

"You get that at school." Tom frowned. Richard smiled slightly as Michael took a deep breath.

"No, it's short for a Pulmonary Embolism." Michael stated. "The doctor told us it's like a blood clot. A scab like when you cut your leg? But it's inside her lung. They've given her some medicine to thin the blood out and try to get the clot to wash away."

"So she is getting better?" Ellie asked. "Tom's right."

"They are trying to make Mum better." Richard sighed. "She's very very poorly. Michael knows the doctors and nurses are helping her but she is really unwell. Even the doctors and nurses can't make everyone better." Ellie sniffed as she realised what Richard was trying to tell them. She nodded once as Tom burst into tears, all the anger had passed. He leant into Richard and let him hug him, all the while hoping that Janine would fight, that she would be back with them soon.

############################

A/N More soon x please review.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Fight Back.**

"Hold on a minute." Shapps stared at the piece of paper Chloe had handed him. "If the guy was already dead when he was shot what did kill him?"

"It's all there." Chloe smiled as the confusion flashed across his face. It was rare that Tony Shapps was confused by anyone.

"Yeah." He nodded. "You said that. But to be honest, Chlo, all this may as well be in Greek."

"He died from acute Liver failure."

"Was he a drinker?"

"His liver wasn't in the best condition I've ever seen." She watched as he nodded. "The man had a tumour on his bile duct. He probably wasn't even aware he had it. I requested his medical records and could find nothing related to it. It looks like his drink was spiked with a small amount of very concentrated chemicals."

"Poisoned."

"Yeah. A bit Miss Marple but affective."

"Yeah." Shapps agreed. "Must be affective. He's dead, isn't he?" Chloe rolled her eyes as the detective left the room.

#########################

"So we can see Mum?" Ellie asked as the nurse walked into the Relatives Room.

"Yes, love." She smiled. "You can. You might want to let your Dad go in for a moment before you all go in."

"Dad?" Tom looked up.

"She means Richard." Ellie explained. Charlotte giggled. For a moment Richard didn't know whether he should correct the young nurse. Before he had chance to, Michael ushered him out of the room. He followed the nurse to a small side room at the edge of the A&E department.

"Go on." The nurse smiled. "It's ok." Richard nodded before opening the door and walking in.

"Hello." He walked towards the bed where Janine was laying with her eyes closed. An IV line fed fluid into the drip in her arm while a monitor bleeped in the background. He watched as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hello you." She smiled back as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"You look worried."

"You gave us all a bit of a scare. Kids are outside."

"My kids?"

"No, just a random bunch I met in the car park." Richard teased.

"Shut up." Janine smiled at him. The thought of seeing Michael and the younger ones seemed to wake her up even more. She squeezed Richard's hand as he tried to ignore all the medical equipment around her. "I."

"Save your energy." He kissed her again. "Oh God, Janine. I thought we were going to lose you."

"Lose me?" She opened her eyes once more and held his gaze. "Never. You don't get rid of me that easily."

"Good to know." He smiled back as the door to the room opened and all four kids entered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Right." Kat walked alongside Shapps and Butchers as they headed back to the office. "What you are saying is, we have one dead man and he was apparently unwell. Then he was poisoned by someone who may or may not be the person who shot him?"

"Yeah." Shapps nodded. "That about sums it up." Butchers watched the exchange and shook his head, totally confused.

"But."

"But what?" Shapps turned to his friend.

"Who would hate a man enough to murder him twice?"

"That." Kat stared at the two men. "Is the ultimate question. Come on, I think I have something." She headed towards the office as both men trailed behind.

########################

A/N please review. More soon


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer see previous. Sorry for delay in updating**

**Home**

"Richard!" Tom ran into the kitchen as Richard poured hot water into his mug. The dishwasher whirred into life as the television news blared out behind him. He ran a hand over his face, bemused how someone as small as Charlotte could make so much mess.

"What's wrong?" Richard was automatically on edge. Tom looked terrified. Janine was due to come home from hospital if the consultant was happy with her next set of blood tests. He wanted everything to be perfect for her.

"My PE kit. Have you seen it? I've got rugby this afternoon."

"It's still in the wash." Ellie opened the fridge as Tom stood horrified at the thought he didn't have a PE kit for his lesson. Michael ruffled his little brother's hair.

"No. It can't be. Morris will kill me."

"Who?" Richard asked, already aware that he was failing in the househusband department.

"My PE teacher. He's evil." Tom sighed dramatically. "Plan my funeral now."

"When is PE?" Richard asked as Charlotte toddled up to them, smiling.

"Last lesson." Tom rested his head on the breakfast bar as Charlotte rested her head on his side.

"Aw Tomms." She mumbled before wandering away. Richard couldn't help but smile.

"Ok, I'll wash it and bring it to the school at lunchtime." Richard decided. The little boy looked up in awe.

"You'd do that?"

"Can't have Morris kick off. He sounds a right pain."

"He was." Michael agreed. "When I was in Tom's year I hated him. He was cruel."

"Well, I'm not having that." Richard decided. "If I'm not there, for whatever reason I'll ask Lucy to drop it in to you. Ok?"

"Ok." Tom nodded before getting up and preparing everything else he needed for school.

##################################

"Our victim was already dead when he was murdered." Butchers frowned. "Poor bugger, someone really didn't like him."

"And according to Chloe, he was rotting away from the inside out anyway." Shapps sat down in his chair as Kat raised an eyebrow.

"I went through the CCTV footage for that part of town on the night of the murder." Kat pressed a few buttons on the computer in front of her. A grainy black and white image appeared on the screen. "That man." She touched the screen, looks like someone we ought to be talking to."

"Who is he?" Butchers asked.

"Dunno, but I've asked around." Kat stated. "The dead man, Lee Jones was a loan shark. He may have leant this guy money."

"And got killed for it?"

"Possible Shapps." Kat sighed. "We need to find this man."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Shapps answered, Butchers smiled.

"Good old-fashioned donkey work." Kat pushed her chair back from the desk. "I'm going down to the club with photos and I'm going to ask around. You pair can stay here if you like." She headed out of the office knowing both senior officers would be following her.

#########################

"Mrs Lewis." The doctor walked in as Janine looked up. "Your blood tests are back. It seems the blood clot that was in your lungs has dispersed."

"That's good. Isn't it?" She asked as he nodded.

"Yes, we'll run another scan later today. Hopefully that'll confirm the clot has gone. We'll need to keep you on medication for a while yet."

"Ok." Janine watched as he headed towards the door. "When can I go home?"

"We'll see what the scan says." He smiled at her before heading back out to the rest of the ward. Janine slumped back on the pillows and tried to focus on how close she was to going home, not how much she missed her family.

######################

Richard glanced at his watch as the rain began to soak through his coat. He hated waiting at the best of times but now he hated it. Part of him wanted to walk into the school and find the PE teacher that frightened Tom so much. It didn't seem fair when the kid was only eleven years old. He looked up as the small boy ran towards him.

"You came!"

"I promised you I'd bring your kit. Lucy helped me sort it out."

"Oh thanks." Tom took the bag. "Tell Luce thanks."

"I will." He smiled as Tom investigated the contents of the bag.

"Er, Richard."

"What?"

"Why is my t shirt pink?" Tom asked as the colour drained from Richard's face.

"I. It wasn't. Aw mate."

"Fooled you!" Tom pulled out the perfectly while t-shirt before bursting in to giggles. Richard rolled his eyes, seeing where his girlfriend's son got his sense of humour.

"Go on, before you get detention." Richard laughed before turning back to his car. He hadn't told Tom but he knew it wouldn't be long until Janine came home. He wanted everything perfect when she did.

#####################

A/N Just a quick update but there will be more soon x


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Home**

The sky clouded over as Richard parked the car in the police station car park. He glanced up, knowing that the rain would soon soak anyone daft enough to be out in it.

"Richard!" He stepped back as he saw Kat step out of her little green fiesta. "How's the Guv?"

"On the mend."

"Thank God." Kat smiled as Shapps appeared in the doorway of the police station. "Tell her we're all thinking of her, yeah?"

"I will." Richard smiled. "Hogg giving you a hard time?"

"I'd be worried if she wasn't." Kat smiled slightly as Richard shook his head. Shapps headed over to them.

"Boss." He nodded to Richard. "Hogg is in the office waiting for you. Says she has news."

"I bet she does." Kat rolled her eyes. "Why can't she just lay off and let us do our jobs?"

"I dunno." Shapps shrugged. "Butchers is up there like a school boy sent to the headmistress."

"That's not good." Richard huffed. "And the worst thing is, she wouldn't dare try it with you lot if Janine was in work."

"She's coming back?" Shapps raised an eyebrow, suddenly concerned that she was going to leave them.

"It's up to her, mate." Richard sighed. "But I am not going to be the one to try to stop her."

###################

"Well, Mrs Lewis." The consultant walked back in as Janine looked up. She was almost sick with nerves as he and a young nurse entered the room.

"My results?"

"Are back." He nodded. "I am pleased to say the clot that had lodged in your lung, what we call a pulmonary embolism has dispersed."

"So?"

"So, we will keep you on anticoagulant medication for a while and see how you manage with that." Janine frowned.

"The injections we've given you."

"I have to have them?" Janine hated needles, the thought of having to have many more was not appealing.

"No, I'll prescribe a form of anticoagulant in tablet form and we'll have you back to clinic for blood tests periodically. You can be discharged as soon as the prescription is back from pharmacy."

"I can go home?" Janine was sure the doctor was talking in riddles to confuse her.

"Yes." The nurse smiled. "You can go home later today. Once your tablets are ready and we'll see you in a couple of weeks. Ok?"

"Ok." Janine smiled. "Definately ok." She glanced at the consultant before picking up her mobile phone, eager to call her family to tell them the good news.

#################################

Richard walked back in to the office as Butchers looked up. Hogg stood in the middle of the office, clearly unhappy.

"Problem?" Ricahrd asked innocently.

"One dead man, two possible reasons for killing him and no arrests." Hogg snapped. "I'd say a problem."

"Um, I have a lead." Kat stated quietly.

"Yeah, we have a lead." Shapps raised an eyebrow. Richard smiled. "In fact I have been to see the magistrate to get a warrent to search an address in the city."

"Really?" Hogg folded her arms. "Why wasn't I told about this?"

"You never asked." Butchers stated honestly. Hogg huffed, shot Richard a filthy look and marched out of the office. Richard shook his head before crossing the room to the three junior detectives.

"Right, what's this lead then?"

###############

A/N more soon x


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Warrent**

"You went to the magistrate?" Richard smiled as Kat drove through the centre of the city. She nodded.

"Yeah, well Shapps was trying to get the forensics to add up. The victim was murdered twice."

"Hold on." He pulled a face as Kat smirked.

"Sorry, I forgot you weren't around for that bit." She checked her rear view mirror to see Shapps and Butchers in the car behind them. "The victim was dead when he was murdered. The gunshot wound to the head was not the cause of death. Poor bugger was half dead from alcohol and drug abuse. Chloe in the forensics lab says he was basically a walking corpse before he died."

"Excuse me?"

"It looks like he was dead when he was shot."

"I get that. But was the cause of death natural courses or did someone help him on his way?"

"That's what I am hoping this warrent is going to help us find out." Kat turned the car into the quiet housing estate on the edge of the city.

"Well, even if it doesn't. It shut Hogg up." Richard smiled. "That's more than enough for me." He got out the car as Kat rolled her eyes.

#####################

Janine ran a hand through her dark hair as she wondered what was keeping Richard from answering his phone. She knew there was no way she was going to call her sister to collect her. Helen disapproved of her relationship with Richard and made it known to anyone who would listen. Sighing she dialled the familiar number, hoping the person would do as she asked.

"Mum?"

"Michael." She smiled as her oldest child answered the phone. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He walked across the car park. "I said I'd pick the kids up. Richard's gone into work and Lucy has had to visit her mum. She fell, apparently she's been in A&E for hours."

"Can you pick me up?" Janine paused. "Only I've been discharged and I really don't want to get a taxi."

"No way are you getting a taxi." Michael laughed. "I've got Tom and Charlotte. Ellie is going to Joanna's tonight so give me ten minutes and we'll be there."

"Thanks." Janine sighed with relief. Ending the call she walked to the hospital window, concerned that Richard still hadn't answered his phone. It wasn't like him to ignore anyone's calls. She couldn't help but worry.

#########################

"What the Hell is this?" The wiry man snapped as Kat showed him the warrent.

"Step aside Sir." Richard kept his voice monotone. "We have a warrent to search these premises to look for evidence in relation to a murder."

"A what? Oh this is about that no mark druggie." He waved a hand in the air. "Knock yourself out. There is nothing in 'ere that can link me to that scumbag."

"We'll see." Butchers walked in, followed by three uniform officers carrying brown paper evidence bags. Richard glared at him as footsteps ran through the small terraced house.

"Boss!" Shapps called. Richard nodded to the uniformed officer as the man they were guarding sat down on the sofa.

"What you got?" Richard walked into the kitchen.

"Now, correct me if I am wrong." Shapps smirked. "But that is nothing to do with cooking." He held up a tea caddy with small pouches of white powder inside.

"Right." He turned and walked back to where the wiry man was sat. "David Hughes, I am arresting you on suspicion of. Bloody Hell!" He froze as the gun pointed directly at his face. The police officer he had left behind in the living room lay across the armchair, bleeding from a wound in her shoulder. "Put the gun down!"

"Nah, I think you've stopped calling the shots now." The wiry man smirked. "I think it's my turn."

################

Michael threw the holdall Janine had packed in the back of his little car. Charlotte clapped her hands happily as she realised her mum was coming home.

"Are you better now, Mum?" Tom asked.

"Yes, thanks." Janine smiled at him. "And I can't wait to hear what you've all been getting up to when I was in hospital."

"Nothing." Michael and Tom answered simultaneously. Charlotte giggled. Janine turned back and watched the world go by, wondering why Richard still wasn't answering his phone.

################

"Shit." Shapps stated as he walked into the living room to see one injured officer and Richard held at gunpoint. "Kat's hunch was right then."

"Yeah." Richard nodded.

"You really going to shoot three coppers?" Shapps asked, his heart almost beating out of his chest. "Not exactly the best way to stay out of prison. Especially when all we can charge you with is possession with intent. The bloke you shot. He was already dead. You can't murder a dead man."

"That's true." Richard looked at the younger officer, relieved to see she was still breathing. "We don't even have a name for him. At the moment his family don't know he is dead."

"Watson."

"What?" Shapps asked.

"His name. The scumbag is Joe Watson."

"As in Sherlock Holmes' side kick?" Shapps looked at the gunman, daring to take a step closer.

"Yeah."

"Right." Richard paused, glad to see the younger, thinner man was having doubts about his ability to take on two police officers who were considerably larger than him. Shapps stepped forward at the same time as Richard. Seconds later Butchers and Kat rounded the doorway as gunfire filled the air.

####################

A/N More soon. Please let me know what you think.


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors note. This is the penultimate chapter. Thanks for all the reviews. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.**

**Worry**

The stench of gas filled the air as Kat and Butchers stood in the doorway. She covered her mouth with one hand as she realised Shapps was sat on top of the man they had come to arrest. The injured police officer slumped back down on the sofa as blood seeped onto her uniform. Kat crossed the room to her in seconds, the stench of CS gas filling the air.

"You alright?" She knelt at her side as the young officer nodded. "Julie?"

"Yeah. He was going to shoot the Guv. Only thing I could think of was to let off my CS gas. Hate the bloody stuff though." She gasped as Shapps and Butchers bundled the wiry man out of the room. Richard crossed to the window and opened it wide to allow fresh air to enter the room.

"We need to get out of here." Richard crossed to the two women and helped Kat lift Julie off the sofa before half carrying her out of the house. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"No problem." Julie hissed a breath in.

"You're going to be ok." Kat stated firmly before half dragging the officer towards the waiting paramedics. Richard looked over to see Shapps and Butchers formally arrest the man that had held him at gun point less than twenty minutes earlier. Smirking to himself he knew Hogg would have to admit their clear up rate was still the best.

#################

Michael lifted the hold all he had put in the car boot as Tom and Charlotte continued to chat away, filling Janine in on everything that had happened while she was in hospital.

"Mum?" Tom looked at her as she picked Charlotte up.

"Yes, Tom?"

"Are you going to be ok now? Did the doctors give you medicine like they did Ellie with her asthma?"

"Yes I am fine." She smiled at him. "I promise you I am fine now. I have tablets I have to take everyday until my outpatient's appointment. They want to check I'm getting better."

"Oh." Tom frowned as Michael slammed the boot shut. "That's good. Richard may have to stay a bit longer. Make sure you are ok."

"Really?" Janine raised an eyebrow as she unlocked the front door. "You like having Richard stay here?"

"He's cool. He lets us watch football with a few cans."

"Excuse me?" Janine raised an eyebrow as they walked into her living room. She half expected the house to look like a tip. Looking around she couldn't see anything out of place. There wasn't even a dirty dish in the sink. "Who's been looking after this place?"

"Me." Michael stated calmly. "And Richard. He's been a bit of a house husband."

"Really?" Janine smiled just as the front door opened to let Ellie in.

"MUM!"

"Hello you." Janine hugged her oldest daughter. She glanced at the clock on the wall, unable to shake the feeling something had happened.

#################

"And he's coughed to the lot?" Kat raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Well after he put a bullet in Julie's shoulder, he couldn't really deny it." Shapps stated. "How is she?"

"They're keeping her in tonight. Her mum said she has to have an operation to remove the bullet and repair her shoulder muscle but she'll be fine." Butchers opened his desk drawer in search of his crisps. Shapps rolled his eyes.

"What about you? Richard? You ok?"

"Me?" Richard loosened his tie. "I'm ok. Look, I'm gonna call it a night." He watched as the others nodded and murmered something about going to the pub. Richard waved before heading out to the car park. He wanted to get home as fast as possible. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so keen to leave the office. Jogging down the steps he checked his phone, happy for once to be leaving the station. He had a family to get home to.

################################

A/N Last chapter soon.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer not mine

Family Man

Richard sat in the parked car outside the police station and closed his eyes. He was exhausted and knew how close he had come to being shot. The thought of the young PC with a bullet wound in her shoulder made his stomach churn. She really had saved them all. He shook his head, wondering how a man that was already dead could be murdered. It just seemed too weird. His mobile phone vibrated on the dash board, sighing he picked it up wondering what Kat or one or the boys wanted this time. Smiling he saw the text from Janine.

"I'm coming home." He smiled, wondering just when he had become a family man.

################

Janine closed her eyes and rested her head back against the sofa. She had never been so glad to sit and listen to the children arguing over the television. Charlotte slept peacefully upstairs while Ellie moaned that the boys were watching the football again.

"Tomorrow you pick what we watch." Janine stated. "Let them watch the match, there'll be no peace until you do."

"Thanks Mum." Tom sat next to her on the sofa.

"Ok." Ellie ran a hand through her hair. "I'm going to ring Jenny."

"You saw Jenny at school." Tom frowned.

"Yeah? And you watched the year 9's play football but your watching it again now." Ellie snapped.

"Mum!" Tom turned to Janine to see her half asleep on the sofa. "Doesn't matter." He smiled before turning back to the television. Ellie picked up the phone before heading up to her bedroom while the boys groaned at yet another bad refereeing decision. The front door clicked shut just as the pundits began discussing the first half of the game.

"Janine." Richard loosened his tie before sitting next to her on the sofa.

"You ok?" Janine smiled slightly. "You look .."

"Knackered? Yeah I am." He smiled. "You?"

"Knackered. Spurs are winning."

"Oh." Richard watched as Tom and Michael stared transfixed at the television.

"Charlotte is in bed and Ellie is currently running up my phone bill so I think things are back to normal." Janine rested her head against his shoulder. Richard sighed before kissing her hair.

"I'm glad you're home." He whispered as Janine sighed happily.

"Yeah, me too."

##################################

"So." Kat lifted up her glass or lager as Shapps returned from the bar. "He's pleading guilty then?"

"Can't really do anything else." Shapps sat down and sipped his pint, one eye on the barmaid a few feet away. Butchers munched a crisp.

"Not really." Butchers answered. "He shot one of us, he had drugs in the kitchen and we found a firearm in the house. Bet forensics are 'aving a field day with that."

"You only found the gun because it was pointed at your head." Kat laughed as Butchers shrugged his shoulders. "That's how you found it."

"Can't bloody miss it then." Butchers laughed as Shapps shot him a glare. The barmaid seemed disinterested in the three police officers in the corner of the bar. Kat sipped her drink, relieved that the case was over.

###############

"You sure you're ok with me staying?" Richard asked just after Michael disappeared upstairs. "I mean, you're home now and Michael is here."

"Richard." Janine turned to face him as he spoke.

"You are staying. If you want to." She paused. "I mean, you don't have to. I'd like you too." She blushed slightly before turning her attention back to the news. "What's this?"

"Oh, nothing." Richard picked up the remote control. "Just an arrest we made earlier. Must have made the press."

"Guns? Richard? What exactly happened when I was in hospital?" She watched as he took a deep breath. "Richard?"

"Everyone is fine. We arrested a killer and you know what the journalists are like. Always making the story bigger than what it is." He squeezed her hand as she nodded. "You need to rest."

"How can I rest when you are almost getting killed?" She yawned.

"I am not going to get myself killed. Well, not intentionally anyway." He smiled at her. "Not when I've got you by my side." He watched as she shook her head.

"Well, I'll be back to work before you know it. Try not to get you or the rest of my team killed before then. Or worse, in Hoggs bad books."

"Ah, well."

"You haven't?" She laughed. "Have you?"

"Come on." He held his hand out to her. "Bed."

"Now that." Janine smiled. "Is the best thing you've said since I got home." She got to her feet and let him lead her up the stairs wondering just when they had become a family.

######################

A/N Thank you all for reading.


End file.
